Roller type sheet metal perfecting machine and drive means therefor



Sept. 30, 1958 R ROLLER TYPE SHEET METAL PERFECTING MACHINE AND DRIVE MEANS THEREFOR Filed NOV. 21, 1955 E J NETZE 2,854,057

INVENTORZ (Zn/(2rd Atzer,

Z BY

ATTORNEY United States Patent ROLLER TYPE SHEET -METAL PERFECTING MACHINE AND DRIVE lvIEANS THEREFOR Edward J. Netzer, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application November 21, 1955, Serial No. 547,905

6 Claims. (Cl. 153-54) It is' an object of this invention to provide a machine which will roll out irregularities of contour in a reentrant cross-section of previously formed sheet material.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an attachment for standard sheet metal perfecting machines which will adapt such machines to operations upon reentrant cross-sections.

The above and other objects will be made clear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved machine or attachment showing it at work on a reentrant cross-section of material; 1

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1.

In the assembly of aircraft many reentrant crosssections are encountered. These may be of 8 form or 2 form, for example, and many others. These sections are formed into curvatures where the arc of curvature generally runs normal to the reentrant cross-section. A strip initially is given a desired cross-sectional formation and receives this in straight line condition. It is then bent to the desired arc, usually by some form of hydraulic press or puller and usually there is sufficient residual elasticity to cause the piece to depart somewhat from the ultimately desired arc even through the form or mandrel about which the piece is shaped is somewhat exaggerated beyond the arc actually desired.

If the cross-section of an arcuately bent piece contains no reentrant portions the so-called standard machine may be used to pass the differentially stressed or strained portions between a pair of rollers to remove Whatever wrinkles exist. When, however, the member arcuately bent has a reentrant cross-section such as S or Z, the so-called standard machine may not be used, since it represents merely a pair of opposed rollers each projecting from the same plane surface which usually is vertical. Such arrangement is perfectly satisfactory for dealing with an L cross-section and, of course, will deal with fiat strips. Even a channel, provided the legs are substantially normal to the base, can be handled in a standard machine but such reentrant cross-sections as are repsented by the Z and 8 type cannot be handled by any pair of rollers projecting from the same plane surface.

The present invention contemplates an attachment for or modification of the standard machine in which the shaft of the upper roller in a standard machine drives a set of directional gears which in turn drive a roller having the same directional effect as to the lower roller as the upper roller would have had in the standard machine.

In the standard machine provision is made for raising and lowering the upper roller relative to the lower roller, to release the work and to accommodate variations in caliper. Needless to say, the present machine or attachment being secured to the same shaft that would have been occupied by the upper roller in a standard machine 2,854,057. Patented Sept. 30, 1958 adjust-the working pressure betweenthe rollers and the machine.

Referring now to Fig. lthere is'shown the body met a standard machine. From'this emerges'anupper shaft 12 and a lower shaft 14. The uppershaft 12isvertically adjustable relative to'the1owershaft14. Theshafts are geared for rotation in opposite directions *andordina'rily a roller is attached to theshaft' 12 similar to. ttheroller 16 mounted on the shaft*14. "For the purpose'ofithis invention, the rolleris removed from theshaft 12"and a coupling-l8 is used to'connecttheshaft 12"wi-th' astub shaft 20 which is mounted in a bearing 22. A pinion 24 is secured to the opposite end of the shaft 20 and meshes with a pinion 26 mounted on a stub shaft 28 which in turn meshes with a pinion 30 secured to a shaft 32 extending back toward the housing 10. The pinions 24, 26 and 30 rotate in a housing 31 which is closed by a face plate 34. A member 36 (Fig. 3) is secured to the bearing 22 surrounding the shaft 20. Mounted in the member 36 are rollers 38 which bear on the shaft 32 and support it against vertical deflection.

Inasmuch as the shaft 12 is vertically adjustable, the shafts 20 and 32 are equally and simultaneously vertically adjustable as are their associated parts.

When it is desired to work on an S-shaped piece such as 40, the shaft 12 and associated parts are raised and the piece is inserted between the roller 14 and the free end 42 of shaft 32. If required to meet particular situations, special forms of rollers may be attached to the free end 42 of the shaft 32. The piece is then inserted with'one reentrant portion 44 of the piece 40 overlying the free end 42 of the shaft 32 and the assembly via the shaft 12 is lowered into working position as shown in Fig. 1.

Due to the interposition of the pinion 26 between the pinions 24 and 30, the shaft 32 has the same rotative relationship to the roller 16 as does the shaft 12. The result is perfect rolling action actively operating close to the flange 46 of the work piece 40.

In order to afford additional support, a stud 50 is secured in the face of the frame 12 and has at one end a member 52 which supports the housing 32. The stud 50 has formed in it a slot 54 in which is adjustably secured a pedestal 56 having a roller 58 at its upper free end. The roller 58, as shown, supports the work piece 40 and is horizontally adjustable to take care of various work piece sizes and shapes.

1. An attachment for a sheet metal perfecting machine of the type having a pair of shafts passing through a casing, rollers on the ends of the shafts and means to rotate the shafts in opposite directions, said attachment comprising: a shaft having means at one end for coupling said end to one of the projecting machine shafts; a bearing for said attachment shaft; a housing at the free end of said attachment shaft; a pinion secured to the free end of said attachment shaft within said housing; a second pinion mounted for rotation within said housing and meshing with said first named pinion; a-second attachment shaft parallel to the first attachment shaft and having a bearing in said housing; a pinion secured to said second shaft within said housing, said pinion meshing with said second pinion and a roller secured to the free end of said second attachment shaft for rolling coaction with the roller on the other of said machine shafts.

2. An attachment as set forth in claim 1 in which a member is secured to the bearing of said first attachment shaft and extends toward the second attachment shaft and means at the free end of said member affording rolling contact support for said second attachment shaft. 3. An attachment as set forth in claim 2 in which said member is axially adjustable along said bearing.

'4. A shaft metal perfecting machine comprising a casing; a pair of parallel shafts journaled within said casing and projecting therethrough; means for rotating said shafts inopposite directions; a roller on the free projecting end of one of said shafts; the other of said shafts projecting beyond said roller; a bearing member surrounding the projecting shaft; a housing secured to said bearing member and receiving the free end of said projecting shaft; a pinion secured to said free end Within said housing; a second pinion mounted for free rotation within said housing and meshing with said first pinion; an auxiliary shaft within said housing having at its end within said housing a pinion meshing with said second named pinion and a roller secured to the opposite end of 10 member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 716,005 Dillon Dec. 16, 1902 1,736,331 Townsend Nov. 19, 1929 2,503,597

Rodder Apr. 11, 1950 

